Tie-plug machine



L. W. WILSON. TIE PLUG MACHINE.- APPLICATION F ILED OCT. 26, 1916.

Patented July 27, 1920-.

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TIE PLUG MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. 191's. 348,126v I Patented July 27, 1920.

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TIE PLUG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26. I916.

Patented July 27,1920;

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'TIE PLUG MACHIN E.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 26.1916.

1,348,126. Patented July 27, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4- 675" I I J j lawrezzce P17 1 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE w. WILSON, or BURLI'NGTON, IOWA.

TIE-PLUG MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented July 27, 1920.

Application filed October 26. 1916. Serial No. 127.911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE W. WIL- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Burlington, in the county of DesMoines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tie-Plug Machines, of which the following .is a specification. 1

. This invention relates to a tie plug machine, and my purpose is toprovide an imf proved device for forming or cutting tie plugs of the proper shape and configuration for driving into old spike holes in railway ties, in order to close up such holes and thereby prolong the lives of theties by preventing the entrance'of moisture and other foreign materials which tend to cause decay.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved machine having means for feeding the wooden stock from which the tie plug is to be formed, and having improved cutting means for cutting the stock into tie plugs. A furtherobject is to provide a machine having improved cutting means for forming a pointed end on one tie plug and a flat or square end on another-tie plug upon each operation of the cutting means. More particularly I have provided improved cutting means for cutting a tie plug of the proper length from the stock, while at the same time-forming a square or flat end on the tie plug cut off, and forming a pointed or sharpened end on the'stock for the next tie plug to be cut off in the next operation of the cutting means. 'Still another object is to provide improved means for intermittently feeding the stock through the machine, the advance of the stock upon each operation of the feeding means being equal to the length of "a tie plug. Still an other object is to provide'improved means for actuating the cutting tool. A further object is to provide an improved 'construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the.

machine is simple and compact iIf form, and efficient in operation.

These and other objects of the invention will appear more clearly from the followiug'description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In the drawings V Figure 1 shows a front elevation of my improved tie plug machine with a portion of the base broken away.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a vertical longitudinal seclllOIlll view through the guideway for the wooden stock, this section being taken on the line.3 3 of Fig. 4. Q r

Fig. 4 shows a top plan view of the machine. r Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of the cutting block and the pin for supporting it.

Fig. 6 shows anend elevation of my improved eutting machine. I

4. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the cutting tool.

Fig. 8 shows the'retaining springs for retaining' the wooden stock at the forward end of the guideway.

Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of the retaining springs which retain the wooden stock at the lower end of the guideway.

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the guide block.

Fig. 11 shows a sectional view, taken throughthe machine on the line 11-11 of Fig. 4; and

Fig; 12 shows a perspective view of the ram which carries the cutting tool.

This type of machine comprises a base or bench 15, which has mounted thereon and secured thereto the frame 16. This frame has formed therein, adjacent one end thereof, the transversely extending guideways 17 having mounted therein the ram 18, which is rectangular in cross section and arranged to fit'closely the guideways. The frame is further provided on each side of the path of the ram, and at the end of the machine opposite the ram, with bearing seats 19, in which are mounted the lower bearing blocks 20 and the upper bearing caps 21, which are secured in position in the bearing seats by means of cap screws or studs 22. These bearing members form three journals 23, 23", and 23" for the driving shaft 24, which has a'fly-wheel -25 keyed or otherwise secured on the enlargedprojecting end 24 at the end of the machine adj acentthe ram. A drivingpulley 27 is keyed or otherwise fixed upon the shaft between the journals 23'? and 23, and this pulley is adapted to be connected by a belt to suitable driving means, such as a motor, or the like.

. The driving shaft 24 is arranged 'to pass through the elongated slots 28 formed in the vertical walls of the ram. 18, it being apparent that these Walls areformed byv the longitudinallyextending slot or recess 29, which extends through the ram in a vertical plane. A cam 30 is fixed on the shaft 24 within the slot 29 by means of a key 31, and this cam is adapted to coact with the roller 32, which is rotatably mounted in the slot upon a pin 33 which engages the apertures 34 in the walls of the slot. It will be apparent that when the circular part of the cam rides upon the roller no movement of the ram will take place, but as the rotation of the cam continues, preferably in the directionindicated 1 by the arrow in Fig.11, the projecting part 30 of the cam will engage the roller, and thereby produce a forward stroke of the ram toward the left, as viewed in Figs. 6

and 11, and toward theobserver, as viewed in Fig. 1'.

The rear end of the ram is maintained in the adjacent guideway by means of the cover plate 36, which is secured to the frame by means of the studs or cap screws 37, and this cover plate is provided with a rearwardly and downwardly projecting arm 38, having an aperture 39 therethrough which is adapted tobe engaged by therod or bolt 40. i This rod has a threaded extremity which engages a threaded recess 41 centhe spring-42 will expand, and thereby re-1 turn the ram to its initial position. The action of this spring may be varied by adjusting the positions ofthe nuts 44 on 45 the rod 40. Itwill be apparent that the longitudinal slots 28 in the ram will permit the sliding movement of the ram caused by the operation of the cam.

At the forward side of the machine the ram is maintained in position in the adjacent guideway 19 by means of the cover plate 45, which. is secured in position on the frame by means of the studs or cap screws 46. This cover plate has formed in- 56 tegrally therewith an upwardly extending hub or collar 45, which is located directly above the ram 18, and which has a bearing block pin-48 secured therein by means of the key 49. The downwardly extending cut- 60 ting block 50 is secured adjacent the outer end of the pin 48 by means of a key 51, and this cutting block is spaced forwardly from the hub 45 by means of a spacing collar or sleeve 52. The cutting block and 66 the spacing collar are detachably secured against longitudinal movement with respect to the pin and the cover plate by means of a nut. 53 which threadedly engages the extremityof the pin. If desired, a set screw 53 may be provided to prevent rotation of 70 thecutting block on the pin. The depending. cutting block 50 is provided, on the side thereof adjacent the ram 18, with a V cylindrical recess 54, which is adapted to be closely fitted by the wooden plug or block 55 which forms a part of the cuttingblock. This plug is adapted to receive the impact of the cutting tool carried bythe ram, and as it becomes worn it maybe adjustedtoward the ram by means of the set screw 56, which threadedly engages an aperture in the cutting block and bears against the inner face of the plug 55.

"The cutting tool 60rhas a tapered'stem 61, which is adapted to fit in a corresponding recess 62', centrally located in the forward end of the ram 18, where the cutting tool isheld against rotation with respect to the rainby means of a key 63. This cut- 7 ting tool comprises a cutting blade 64, which lies in a vertical plane when the cutting tool is assembled in the ram, and two other inclined cutting blades 65 which converge toward the central part of the cutting blade 64, as shown particularly in Fig. 7. These cutting blades have cutting edges 64 and 65 respectively, which are. adapted to engage a wooden stock 66 when the latter is passed into position opposite the cutting block, whereupon the cutting blades 65 will form apointed end 66 upon the end ofthe stock at the same time that the cutting blade 54 cuts off the tie plug 67 and forms a square end 67' upon the end thereof. It will be understood that the plug 67 will have a point 66 formed thereon by the next preceding operation of 1 the. ram, so that each operation'of the cutting tool completes the formation of a complete tie plug. The wooden stock 66 is of rectangular cross section preferably substantially square, and has dimensions slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of the usual railway spike so that the plug 67, formed by the machine, may be driven into old spike holes in railway ties to fill the same completely.

The wooden stock 66 is fed into the machine through a guideway 70 which is carried by the guide block 71. This guide block is provided with a plurality of elongated apertures 72 extending therethrough, these apertures being adapted to be engaged by the bolts 73, by which the bearing block is se cured to the frame. The aperture 72, being elongated transversely of the guideways, permit the guide block to be adjusted toward or away from the frame in order to secure the proper alinement of the guideway with the cutting block 50 and the path of the cutting tool 60. The. walls of the guideway nuance are provided, adjacent the rear ends thereof, with recesses 74, in which are mounted the leaf springs 7 5, which bow inwardly between their ends, and thus extend into the guideways to engage the lateral sides of the wooden stock which: is fed therethrough. T'hese leaf springs are retained-loosely in the recesses by means of pins 7 6 which are driven through suitable apertures in the upper and lower walls of the recesses, and which retain the ends of the springs in position in the recesses. The walls of the guideway, at the forward end thereof, are provided with other recesses 77, in which are mounted other leaf springs 78, having projecting ends 7 8 which extend into the guideway and engage the wooden stock 66 at a point adjacent the cutting block. The other'ends of the springs 78 are provided with suitable apertures 79-, and these ends are secured to the walls of the recesses 77 by means of screws, or the like; It will be apparent that the end of the guideway is cut away at the point 80 to make room for the edge of the depending cutting block. A guide block 81 is secured to the guideway 70, above the spring 78, by means of screws This guide block serves to guide the stock into position opposite the cutting.

block, and it also holds the end, or remnant, of the wooden stock when the last plug is out from the stock.

The wooden stock is fed forwardly in the guideway by means ofa traveling head, or feed head, 83, which is slidably mounted on i the guideway, being provided with inwardly turned flanges '84, which extend around the laterally-extending flanges 85 of the guideway, and thus prevent displacement of the traveling headfrom its seat. This traveling head is provided on its upper side with two pairs of upwardly extending, spaced apart cars or lugs 86, between each pair of which is mounted a feeding dog 87. These dogs are provided with downwardly projecting pointed ends S adapted to extend through suitable apertures 88 formed in the upper wall of the traveling head, whereby these pointed ends engage the upper surface of the wooden stock. The pointed ends are 'maintaincd in such engaging position by means of coil springs 89, which have their lower ends mounted insuitable recesses 90 formed in the upper surface of the head 83, and which have their upper ends engaged by suitable pins 91 extending downwardly from the dogs 87. It willbe seen, therefore, that the springs 89 will cause thedogs to bite into the wooden stock, so that as the traveling pin is moved toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the wooden stock will be fed forwardly into position opposite the cutting block.

In orderto effect the operation of the feed head by the operation of the driving shaft 24, I have provided 'a bearing sleeve 93, which extends transversely to the shaft 2 1,

and iscarricd by an arm 93, in turn carried by the plate 93* attached to the frame of the machine by means of-th'e studs 94 and 22. An intermediate feed shaft95 is journaled in this hearing sleeve, and one end of this shaft has fixed thereon a lever or crank arm 96, carrying a rotatably mounted collar 97 pivotally connected to a connecting rod 98. The lower end of this connecting rodis pivotally connected to another collar 99, which, in turn, is pivotally mounted upon the feed crank disk 100 by means of a pin or screw 101. The end ofthe shaft 95, opposite the crank arm, has fixed thereon a second crank arm 102, which is disposed in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the crank arm'96, and which has its lower end pivotally connected to a connecting rod 103. The end of this connecting rod, opposite the crank arm, is mounted between and pivotally connected to the up wardly extending ears or lugs 104; formed on i the forward end of the feed head. From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the rotation of the feed crank 100, carried by the shaft 24-, will oscillate the feed shaft 95, and thus cause the head 83 to reciprocate on the guideway. 7

For the purpose of retaining the Wooden stock 66in its forward position during'the return stroke of the traveling head 83, I have provided a stationary head 105, which is secured to the rear end of the guideway by means of screws 106, and which carries a rctaii'iing dog 107, similarto the dogs 87 and actuated by a spring 108, so that the forward pointed end 107 of the dog is maintained inengagement with the upper surface of the stock 66, the upper wallof the head 105 being provided with a notch 109 which receives the sharpened end 107 a of the (log. The spring 108 will permit the stock 66to slide forwardly in the, guideway when it is actuated by the traveling head,

but any tendency of the stock to slide in a forward movement of the ram 18, whereby the cutting tool 60 will engage'the stock 66, and cut off a tie plug 67, while at the same time providing a sharpened point on the stock which remains in the guideway. If

desired, the guideway may be so alined with the path of the cutting tool that one side 66 of the point will be longer than the other,

side 66, that is, the point of the plug will be at one side of the axis of the plug which may be desirable in order to cause it to fill completely the old spike hole made by a spike having a point correspondingly 'diacts with the circular part of the cam the;

feed disk 100 will actuate the traveling head, and thus feed thestockforward a disi tance equal to the length of another plug.

It will be apparent that the pin is so located on the disk that the stock will be in a substantially stationary position with respect to the cutting block at the instant'when the ram makes its forward stroke; and this may be conveniently effected by arranging the pin so that it will be passing through the dead center position at the same time that the ram reaches the forward end of its stroke under the influence of the cam 30, properly located on the shaft 24. By means of this machine operating as above described, a

, large number of tie plugs may be formed in a short space of time with very little attention' on the part of the operator.

Although I have shown and described a single form of the invention for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructed in various different embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In combination, a frame, a ram slidably mounted in a guideway in said frame, a cutting tool carried by said. ram, means for operating said ram, a cover plate for maintaining said ram in said guideway, an arm carried by said cover plate and project.- ing outwardly therefrom above said ram, and a cutting block pivotally mounted on said arm and adapted to normally depend in the path of said cutting tool.

2. In a machine of the class described, a

' guideway for the stock from which the tie plugs are to be formed, a movable head extending across said guideway and slidably engaging the side walls thereof, means car-, riad by said head for engaging said stock,

a drive shaft, a rock shaft operatively con nected thereto,- and means for reciprocating said movable head from motion derived from said rock shaft whereby the stock engaging means carried by said head is caused to advance said stock step by step, and cut ting means for cutting off a tie plug from said stock after each advance thereof.

3. In a machine of the class described, a

frame provided with a guideway, a ram having side and end walls and open at its top and bottom mounted in said guideway, means for maintaining said ram in said guideway and against accidental displacement, a shaft extending through slots in said side walls, a cam mounted on said shaft between said side walls, means also mounted ting tool, so as to permit, swinging of said cutting block about. said arm to permit ready removalof said cutting tool. H 5. In combination, a frame, a ram slidabl mounted in said frame, a cutting tool carried by said ram, an arm projecting from said frameabove said ram, a cutting block depending from said arm in the path of said ram for supporting the material to be oper-' ated upon during the cutting operation, and a guideway through which said material may be advanced to said cutting tool, said guideway terminating short of the path of said cutting tool, whereby the severed lengths ofsaid material may drop from said cutting block by gravity as the same are formed.

'6. In combination, a frame, a guideway carried bysaid frame, said guideway being provided with'a longitudinal groove of rectangular cr0ss-section and longitudinal flanges extending outwardly from thewalls of said groove, a feeding head slidably mounted on said guideway and having flanges overlapping said first-named flanges, dogs pivoted on said. head, resilient means actuating said dogs to engage a'stock supported in said guideway, means for intermittently actuating said head, means for holding said stock after each forward movement thereof,

and means acting during the'operation of said last-named means for cutting the pro jecting end-of said stock and forming a tie plug.

"7. mounted in said frame, a cutting tool carried by said ram, an arm projecting from said frame above said ram, a cutting block pivotally mounted on said arm and depending therefrom in the path of said ram, andcarried by said head to engage'said stock to;

feed the same along said guideway, means In combination, a frame, aram slidably to actuate said head, and cutting means for cutting off a tie plug from said stock after each advance thereof.

9. In a machine of the class described, a guideway for the stock from which the tie plugs are to be formed, feeding means for advancing said stock intermittently along said guideway, a stationary head embracing said guideway and engaging the top surface of said stock, and means carried by said head and also engaging said stock and holding the same after each advance thereof, and means for cutting off a plug from said stock after each advance thereof.

10. In a machine of the class described, a guideway for the stock from which the tie plugs are to be formed, a sliding head movable on said guideway and having means to engage said stock to feed the same along said guideway, means to actuate said head, a stationary head embracing said guideway and having means to engage said stock to hold the same in advanced position after each advance thereof, and cutting means for cutting off a tie plug from said stock after each advance thereof.

11. In combination, a guideway for the stock to be operated on, a traveling head slidable on said guideway, a resiliently mounted dog carried by said traveling head to engage said stock and feed the same forwardly in said guideway upon the forward movement of said traveling head, said dog being arranged to slide over said stock upon the reverse stroke of said traveling head, means to actuate said traveling head, a stationary head embracing said guideway and carrying a second resiliently mounted dog arranged to hold said stock upon the reverse stroke of said traveling head, and cutting means for operating upon said stock after the forward stroke of said traveling head.

12. In combination, a frame having a guideway therein, a ram slidably mounted in said guideway, said ram having a slot therethrough, a cam mounted to rotate in said slot to actuate said ram on its forward stroke, a cutting tool carried by said ram, said ram having an extension projecting from the end thereof opposite said cutting tool, a cover plate for maintaining said ram in said guideway, an arm carried by said cover plate and provided with an aperture through which said extension projects, a shoulder on said extension adjacent its outer end, and a coiled spring mounted on said extension between said shoulder'and said arm.

13. In combination, a frame, a ram slida-.

LAWRENCE w. WILSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. Sorrows, A.'N. WINKLER. 

